Category: Family
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Enough is enough: let’s give our children their lives back
One mother’s thoughts on COVID-19 policies and children My oldest son Tomislav was born nearly 12 weeks premature. It was a scary yet happy time; my husband was in the midst of his residency and we were so excited to become parents. We learned a lot about parenthood during those precious 65 days in the […]
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Wanderlust, discovery and a sense of identity: my thoughts on travelling to Croatia during the pandemic
Hans Christian Anderson once said that “to travel is to live.” I’ve been very fortunate to travel to many different places around the world since early childhood. The anticipation prior to boarding a flight is something that never gets old for me. But there is something special to be said when I go to Croatia […]
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Reflections On International Women’s Day: MOTHERHOOD, WORK-LIFE BALANCE IN A PANDEMIC WORLD
“Women belong in all places where decisions are being made.….It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.”-Ruth Bader Ginsburg Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would become a full-time employee and homeschool teacher at the same time. I am not going to deny it, but this was probably one of the […]
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Why the kids need a village: thoughts on reopening schools in ontario
Schools throughout Southwestern Ontario have remained closed since the Christmas break. The original plan was for students to return to in-person instruction on January 11, 2021. However, statistics from the Ministry of Health released just days before the return to school indicated a spike in cases as a result of “holiday gatherings,” (which in my […]
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It’s okay to cry: why it’s okay if you have to sometimes
One mother’s perspective on the challenges of raising spirited children and debriefing after a challenging situation Parenthood is full of ebbs and flows, and on this particular night, I was done. I walked away to a dark corner and needed that space to be alone. When I went down to the floor, so too did […]
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One mom’s perspective: igniting that spark in your children’s mind through reading
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.”— Dr. Seuss from the book “I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!” I grew up in a humble, middle class home to Croatian immigrants in Windsor, Ontario. Both my parents worked in the auto industry. We grew […]
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Was it really a cruel summer? My recap of summer 2020
A parallel universe The summer of 2020 will go down in history as one of the most difficult summers our generation has ever had to endure. Typically, my family and I spend our summers in Croatia, however, we (regrettably) decided not to go due to the pandemic. As you may recall in earlier blog posts, […]
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Carrying traditions on: learning how to bake my mother’s orahnjača (walnut roll)
Growing up, I remember waking up to the sweet smell of my mother’s orahnjača (walnut roll). At bridal showers, I always gravitated towards the orahnjača on the desert table as it’s not too sweet, nor too heavy and it always goes nicely with a cup of coffee. However, my mother’s recipe is my all-time favourite. […]
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How COVID-19 got to me: stress, fear, uncertainty and self-care during a global pandemic
Friday was the first day that I cried….a lot. I felt exhausted from homeschooling the kids, trying to get some work done as well as regular chores and I just couldn’t handle it anymore. I buried my head into a sea of tears and had to walk away into a different room in my home […]
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Carrying traditions on: Learning how to bake my family’s sweet Easter bread
Easter is considered to be the most important holiday in the Catholic faith. For Croatians specifically, Easter is also about tradition. On Holy Saturday, Croatians (and most Eastern Europeans for that matter) will bring baskets of sweet bread and eggs to be blessed during mass. Some people also add smoked meats and green onions to […]
Stilettos and Espressos 